


All the Things You Said

by daintylemonsquare



Category: Join the Party (Podcast)
Genre: Canon Non-Binary Character, Evalentine, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Holding Hands, Minor Angst, Other, Pure, Unprotected Feelings, wait does this make Evan a furry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-11 15:01:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19112077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daintylemonsquare/pseuds/daintylemonsquare
Summary: Outside of family, Valentine is used to people not putting in the effort to get to know them. They resigned themself to a solitary life in the Antipolis City Guard, until someone decides they're going to march into their life to break-up their lonely streak.





	All the Things You Said

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, my name is Joey and I specialize in fiction that no one asked for! Enjoy!  
> Also, I wrote this while listening to All the Things She Said by Tatu...so....know that.  
> Sorry for the spelling/grammatical/syntax errors. <3

Valentine held their head high as they were being introduced by Bob the Skrull. After training, they expected very little from the other guards. They smiled. They said their names. They exchanged glances they thought Valentine couldn’t see or comprehend. Valentine stood at ease, trying their best not to get their feathers ruffled. 

“Valentine, got anything to say to the team?” Bob asked. He was nice enough but a guard at the back couldn’t hold in a snort. 

From under their cowl, Valentine narrowed their eyes. They were aware of where their dagger was and how many motions it took to throw it (three) at the person. Valentine looked up at Bob and their face was locked in a smile soured by the awkward silence. They sighed. They opened their beak. There was a sound of a group of children cheering in unison because their class answered the teacher’s question correctly. This was followed by the sound of distant fireworks. Then they ended with a person saying, “Good day.” 

Valentine took a seat at the front of the briefing room beside a dwarf, who was twirling a finger through their beard. They nodded at one another and said nothing more. 

It was a full day. Alternate drills for an hour in the morning. Perimeter patrols right afterwards. A disturbance at the docks pushed everyone’s lunch schedules back an hour. It would’ve been shorter had Wilkes and Holly listened to Valentine’s warnings about the druid’s familiar in the water, but they didn’t bother to interpret what the sound of bubbling water, ripping leather, and sobbing meant. When they were reprimanded for the delay, and the damage done on the docks, Valentine attempted to defend themself but Representative Shields dismissed them. 

“I’ve got no time for this,” he said. “One extra hour for the three of you.” 

“Sir,” Holly began to protest but the representative said, “Do you want to make it three?” 

The group left with pursed lips and crossed arms. Wilkes and Holly grumbled with one another as they took out their lunches. They could feel the heat of their coworkers’ words crossing their feathers. Valentine snapped their beak together. They had a million of angry sounds to make back at them but it was their first day. They were trained better than to involve themself in petty work drama. Valentine took their lunch outside, teleporting to the top of the statehouse for some peace and quiet. 

Antipolis. It wasn’t a perfect city with perfect people, but it was home. Despite having to adjust to everyone in the Common Speaking World, they weren’t there to make friends. They were there to protect. As long as they were able to do that, taking this job was still worth it. 

* * *

A few weeks later, there was a new guard on the team: Belto. This guard spoke common so the team decided to celebrate his arrival with a drink at the Giant Mistake. It was Callie’s idea. They were talking about it the whole day and it wasn’t until they were clocking out that they thought to invite Valentine. 

They were used to it. They preferred it. It meant that while their coworkers were making absolute fools of themselves and losing their gold, Valentine was saving theirs. But it was an improvement. 

The city guard considered Valentine as an afterthought, but they learned to listen to them. Especially since Valentine heard a performer belt out “ _ Ooooooh liiiiiisten! To the song here in my heart! _ ” It was easy to get the others to stick around and figure out what Valentine was trying to convey with other songs. These days, Valentine let out a few notes as a warning. The others would roll their eyes but it was an improvement. 

Still, they weren’t friends. They were a team but they weren’t friends. All their conversations revolved around their work—reports, shift changes, that crazy man who was selling fraudulent magic scrolls. The closest thing to a friendship Valentine got was when they all greeted each other in the morning. “Hey, how are you?” They would say and then go about their morning routine at their locker or go straight into a request or a command. 

Whenever Valentine wasn’t in the mood (or was, depending on the mood), they’d repeat that person’s own “Hey, how are you?” The awkward silence that ensued gave Valentine a prick of glee. 

So, when they said, with manufactured camaraderie, “Hey...Valentine. Do you…” Callie waved around at the group already forming at the door. The new guy looked sheepish. “If you want. We just wanted to make Belto feel welcomed.” 

Valentine yanked the laces on their cloak tight and imagined what it must’ve been like to strangle these people. They resisted the urge to echo “Belto feel welcomed” a few times and then splice it with their name. “Valentine feel welcomed.” Again, they sighed. They sighed a lot at work. 

They opened their beak. The steady crackle of a fire. A kettle of tea reaching its peak. A stuffed toy being squeezed and ending with a squeak. Finally, the pages of a book being flipped, from front to back. 

Callie’s smile faltered. “...Okay. Sure.” Had they all cared enough to try, they’d know Valentine’s siblings were visiting from a few towns over. One of them brought Valentine’s niece, who they hadn’t seen for a year now since they started training. 

Valentine shrugged. They let out a yawn and mimed it for them. They all said, “Ooooh.” Then nodded at one another like idiots.  “Belto,” a deliberate pause, “feel welcomed.” Then Valentine busied themself with putting things from their locker to their bag as the others left, their laughter echoing through the halls of the statehouse. 

They let themself feel a little bad about it as they sipped their tea from their tiny home by the river. Then their niece squeezed one of the stuffed animals Valentine got for her and echoed the squeak at them. When they and their siblings were younger, they didn’t have this. A home. Sentimental soft things. Beds that they didn’t have to roll up or carry. Their parents were adventurers. Or thieves, depending on who was asked. None of them had the luxury to settle until a few of them decided they were tired of running around like chickens. 

Valentine patted their niece’s head and pinched her beak, wiggling it around. A baby’s giggle came on loop. From the dining table, Valentine’s sister nodded at them. She and her spouse insisted to cook even though Valentine tried to dissuade them. They traded alarm sounds until Valentine relented. 

Their sister relayed the following sounds: coins falling out of the bag, cows mooing in pain, a heartbeat, someone saying, “Let’s see what I can do,” and the rustle of trees as rain began to wane. 

Valentine felt themself tear up. They let out someone saying, “It’s not a problem anymore!” It was the wrong sound to repeat. The voice was too upbeat and sing-songy for the moment they were sharing. They laughed laughter that wasn’t theirs regardless. 

They didn’t mention their coworkers. They talked about their niece going to school, the first of their family to get formal education. They talked about how the farm was doing and if the cows were getting better. They talked about the first time they stole ice cream in the rain. They talked about how Valentine could get a better place to stay but Valentine didn’t need much to get by. Their family needs it more. 

* * *

A new member of the guard was introduced and Valentine thought no more of him. He was as basic as they came. A human male, young, idealistic, with fair skin and crooked teeth but smiled like they were straight. Valentine knew ten of them. This one spoke more than others but they chalked that up to nerves. Then he kept talking.

“Hey Valentine,” Evan said while they came back from the infirmary after an aggressive conversation with a troublemaking dragonborn at the border. “Did you already do that thing, you know, when we put pens on parchment and write words for the representative and Bob the Skrull to look at so they know what we did during the day?” Valentine made a buzzer noise and the sound of a dragonborn roaring. “I think I understand the first part but not the second part. What was that thing we had to do? I’m sorry.” 

Representative Shields’ voice passed Valentine’s beak, “Reports!” 

“Reports, right! That’s the word. Reports. Thanks Valentine.” 

The others laughed at him but he didn’t seem to let it get under his skin. Valentine respected that. They understood that. They supposed it was a little endearing. Regardless, Valentine couldn’t expect more from this man. Belto learned Valentine’s usual sounds on the field early enough and didn’t bother to learn more. Evan was smart. His ideas, though their verbal suggestions were convoluted and required a lot of back and forth, weren’t half-bad. He was going to get into the groove of things no problem. 

“Hey Valentine,” Evan said when he saw Valentine teleport from the roof to the statehouse doors after lunch. He was leaning on his shield. This was the most boring shift to have but, unlike Holly, who had her helmet over her face and hands clasped over her chest, Evan’s eyes betrayed nothing short of alert.  “Where do you go when you eat that meal you eat when it’s noon and we have to eat it by group or else no one will be left guarding the place?” 

“Lunch,” the voice of the lunch person at the cafeteria said.

“Right, yeah! That’s the word. But where do you go?” 

No one’s ever asked Valentine that. “Their nest,” Jamie’s voice said, followed by laughter. Valentine meant for it to be a joke, hence the laughter, but Evan scrunched his eyebrows. 

“That’s mean,” he said. Then he shook his head. “Unless, you actually have a nest. I don’t know a lot of kenku so, you know, I don’t want to...what’s the word...do that thing where you think you know something but you don’t but you pretend you do?” 

Valentine cocked their head then expressed a few sounds: a gentle breeze, birds chirping, someone going “shh,” and distant chatter followed by a buzzing noise. 

Evan hummed to himself. “You want quiet?” Valentine nodded. It wasn’t the correct answer but they weren’t going to start any problems. Evan seemed to be the type to ask for fairness and justice, judging by how he interpreted Valentine’s poor attempt at a passive-aggressive joke. 

“I don’t know a lot of quiet places outside of the statehouse or that place where all the books are and you get to borrow them for a certain amount of time. The city is only quiet at night. You don’t go home, do you?” He asked. 

Valentine shook their head and then pointed to the roof. Evan’s gaze followed. “That’s cool,” he said. Evan was about to say something else but was interrupted by a clock chiming the hour. “Well, it’s time for us to switch then, huh? I should,” then he pointed at Holly. He was hesitating. Valentine turned to Holly and opened their beak to a loud horn. Holly fell over. They made sure Holly saw them before walking back into the statehouse. 

* * *

As predicted, Evan learned Valentine’s usual sounds quickly. Whistles, bird calls, clocks ticking, clicks, buzzes, and roars—all with an ease surprised even Valentine. Of course, this was an easy jab for the others. “I guess you’re not an idiot after all,” Callie said when both him and Valentine managed to outsmart and apprehend this tiefling trying to run away with important scrolls from the archive. Valentine’s temper flared and blazed across their body faster than they could control it. 

“Smarter than you think,” Bob the Skrull’s voice echoed from Valentine. The original comment wasn’t meant for Evan when Valentine first heard it, but it was still appropriate.  “Smarter than you,” they repeated, deliberately cutting it off. Callie growled. Geneva kept it from escalating. Valentine couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit of satisfaction. 

“You don’t have to do that,” Evan chuckled. 

“That’s mean,” Valentine said, using Evan’s voice. 

“Well, I appreciate it.” Evan reached over to squeeze Valentine’s shoulder. Valentine made the sound of an audience going “awww.” Evan laughed. “Shut up.” 

Valentine wasn’t sure what came over them, why they immediately jumped to Evan’s defense. Maybe it was a long day. Maybe they’d heard one comment too many. Maybe Callie just had that kind of voice. Maybe they had to give props to Evan, who got into the swing of Valentine’s quirks more diligently than the others (Evan sat them down and took down notes). They decided it was because Evan was the most decent one out of all of them so far but that, in turn, left an unpleasant taste on their tongue. Just because a human was smart and decided to treat them fairly didn’t mean Valentine could consider them a friend. It wasn’t like Evan was treating them any differently than he treated the others. Valentine shouldn’t get too attached. Even though their siblings urged them to get some friends, it wouldn’t be worth the effort. 

Still, when Evan said goodnight at the end of their shift, and smiled that dumb, crooked looking smile of his, Valentine felt like he walked away with a bit of warmth from them.

* * *

 

Valentine and Evan were partnered more frequently with their assignments and patrols. They could see the relief in Bob’s expression whenever he announced this. They could sense the relief in the others as well. Bob was always getting complaints about Valentine. Even though he said nothing and Valentine was good at their job, it was no secret that many of the guard found being paired with them a huge chore. Like they were given a toddler to babysit, if the way they sometimes spoke to Valentine was any indication. Same with Evan. They were more vocal about him. His quirks were, admittedly, more annoying. Valentine found it useful. The more words he used, the more Valentine could speak, after all. 

Evan’s enthusiasm eclipsed any undercurrents or snide remarks the others had. He was always ready to jump on the job. Sometimes Valentine had to rush to keep up, and they could teleport. They admired that. They found themself being excited to go to work more often. 

Lunch wasn’t a solo affair anymore either. Even as Valentine tried to slink off, unseen and unheard as usual, Evan managed to catch up with them and ask if they wanted to eat lunch together. By the third day, Valentine waited outside the locker room for a dumb looking smile and the jangle of his keys. They ate at the cafeteria these days, since Evan didn’t pack his lunch. Valentine had gotten into the habit of it at training. 

It was nice, having someone to eat with. While Valentine missed the silence and the ability to avoid the cafeteria’s tempting selection of desserts, Evan’s noise was refreshing. The twists and turns his sentences took were funny, to say the least. 

Their conversations almost seemed like a game. It was a constant back and forth whenever Valentine tried to supply the word that Evan couldn’t recall or when Evan tried to guess what Valentine meant when a seemingly random sound came from them. There was frustration, but the playful kind. The kind where it was framed in a smile and the groans trailed into chortles. The kind where they punched the other’s shoulder or kicked the other’s shin under the table but never to the point of bruising. 

Valentine could feel the others eyes on them and the comments they were making about the two weirdos of the city guard. What Valentine couldn’t feel was the sensation of wanting to give a fuck. 

The two of them usually split a slice of cake before heading off to their duties.

* * *

 

Valentine did not want to meet Evan’s mom. They had playmates before, when they were younger, whose parents dissuaded to have anything to do with them. Whether it was because of their race, or because their parents weren’t the most savory of folks, or because Valentine often had a knack for activities that brought these friends home dirty, it was all the same look. 

Not that Mrs. Graves seemed to be that kind of person. Someone that raised Evan couldn’t be all bad. That, coupled with the fact that they were all adults, should’ve put Valentine at ease. Then again, childhood traumas were hard to shake off. In their experience, adults never thought about what a simple grimace or scowl or unkind word could affect a child, no matter what kind of child they were. 

Fear was a rarity in Valentine’s emotional vocabulary, yet there it was, buzzing in their chest. They didn’t want to leave the wrong impression. It was clear that Evan adored his mother. Valentine didn’t want to cause any sort of tension. They supposed being unable to speak common, or any language for that matter, cut down chances of them saying something uncouth. Then they thought about the sounds they could make, the actions they could take, and their general otherness. Not many kenkus around here, let alone kenkus with a job in the city guard. And it wasn’t like they could converse to air out the awkwardness. If Evan walked out the room for one thing or the other, surely the ensuing silence would affect the general mood, therefore the general impression. 

All they wanted was to not mess anything up. Valentine was good at assessing situations, whether or not to engage. They thought it was better not to. 

But Evan insisted. And insisted. And insisted. And said, “C’mon, Mom was so happy to hear that I made a friend in the city. I’ve been doing that thing where I tell her about my day and the things that’s been happening to me, kind of like what we do for Representative Shields but more informal. But also in paper. And that I have to tie it with a bombilate then let it go to her. That thing.” Valentine lets out a chorus of children singing the Common alphabet. “Letters! Yes. I’ve been writing her letters about you. Please don’t have her think that I made you up. That’ll be sad.” 

Valentine could no longer make honking and buzzer noises. 

They brought flowers. Humans liked flowers, right? Or was it sweets? They should’ve brought both. It was too late now. They already knocked. 

Evan opened the door to his humble little home and chuckled, leaning on the frame. “Valentine, I didn’t realize you felt this way! Oh happy day, Mama,” he added with a bit of a drawl that Valentine heard slip from time to time. “A gentlefolk has finally asked me for my hand in marriage! Now you and Papa no longer have to worry about my future!” 

“Will I finally get grandchildren? After all these years?”

Ignoring that ripple of warmth across their chest, Valentine rolled their eyes. A rim shot echoed through their beak. Before Valentine could punch Evan on the shoulder, mostly to remind themself what kind of relationship this was, Mrs. Graves stepped into view. Valentine unclenched their first and straightened their posture.

They shared a smile and a nose. Her eyes were gray, almost the same color as her hair. “Hi there, sweetheart,” she said, her accent more prominent than Evan’s. “Evan has told me all about you. Valentine, right?”

Valentine, quickly pulling away their cowl, nodded and offered the flowers with a bow. “My, oh my, what a sweet young...um…dear. I absolutely love flowers,” she said, taking the bouquet and giving them a hefty sniff. “It reminds me of the hunt! You come in now. Don’t be shy. I’ll put these in a vase. If my son has any.” She clicked her tongue as she walked away. 

Evan’s crooked grin brightened. “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” 

Valentine made the sound of a bunch of puppies barking. Evan laughed, tossing an arm over their shoulder, and guiding them in as he kicked the door closed. Valentine poked his side. He giggled. The warm scent of stew and grilled vegetables wafted through Valentine’s nares and they took a deep breath. 

“Mom’s special stew,” Evan said. “Totally vegetarian, by the way. I’m the only one who really enjoys it. When I told her you love that kind of thing, she brought a market’s worth of produce. The kitchen’s clean now but you should’ve seen it this morning.” He squeezed Valentine in a short side hug and slid away. Valentine felt that in every feather. “Make yourself comfortable.” 

Valentine replied with the sound of plates and cutlery being arranged on a table. 

“Nope. You’re the guest. We’ll do it. Sit! There’s a pitcher of lemonade right here.” Then Evan leaned forward. “Relax for once.” Valentine narrowed their eyes but obeyed nonetheless. 

The rest of the evening went the opposite direction that Valentine expected it to go. For one, there was very little moments of silence. They now understood Evan’s loquaciousness. For another, Evan was happy to translate for them, though he often waited for Valentine to confirm with a nod after each translation. (He didn’t have to wait. He was spot on for the most part.) Valentine couldn’t remember the last time they smiled this much around other people, let alone humans. 

The night ended with Mrs. Graves convincing Valentine to visit Evan’s town some time. She was about as persuasive as Evan. Then again, it could’ve been the stew that made their resolve flimsier than usual. She even gave them the recipe. 

Just as Valentine pulled their cowl over their head for the walk home, a second set of steps followed the door clicking shut. “Hey,” Evan said. “Let me walk you to that place that you stay at when you’re not at work.” Valentine cocked their head. Evan shrugged. “It’s a nice night out and I don’t know about you but I think I used up all my words tonight.” Valentine couldn’t help it. The smile that came afterward was so strong, their eyes closed. “I haven’t seen you smile that much since we watched Callie and Geneva eat it at the obstacle course I helped set up for drills last month.” 

It was Valentine’s turn to shrug. “That wasn’t so bad,” they echoed with Evan’s voice. 

“Told you so.” Evan puffed his chest. 

Valentine smacked him there and let out an audience’s “boo.” 

For the first time in a long time, Evan was quiet for more than two minutes outside of a stakeout or some other work related activity. The streets were winding down, shops closing, taverns doing their best to keep the drunks’ noise indoors. Lights dotted the city, just enough to get by without having to carry a torch. From a distance, a bard’s lute played a hopeful song, their voice warbling through the still night air. As the sound began to disappear for another adventure, Evan shared a smile with Valentine and a comment about the song. It was cool, but not enough to bundle up. Valentine could feel Evan radiating beside them. As they reached Valentine’s home, the sky slowly became the primary source of light. Evan was a step closer to them. Maybe for more warmth. Valentine couldn’t think of any other reason for him to move so near that their knuckles were bumping into each other. 

“You’re so lucky you found this place,” Evan said, looking over the view. The river, the tavern lights, the silhouette of the ruins. “And at a decent price too.” 

Valentine offered their usual explanation: rustling curtains without a breeze, the creak of floorboards at an ungodly hour, quiet whispers muffled by a wall, and the occasional growl that echoed even though it was so nearby. Evan snorted. “What’s a little haunting? If anyone could scare them off or ignore them to boredom, it’s going to be you. And the money you save? So worth.” The ding of a bell rang louder in the quiet neighborhood. 

Evan looked up. His brows furrowed for a moment then shook his head. “Goodnight, Valentine.” He opened his arms for a hug. Valentine wasn’t usually the hugging sort but they took it anyway. Without preamble, Evan placed a small kiss on top of their head. Valentine let out a small pop from a campfire that was starting to finally catch. Evan walked away with a grin. Valentine watched him and his jaunty gait. They watched him keep looking at the sky. 

Valentine followed his gaze as they unlocked their house. They understood his incredulous pause from earlier. They could’ve sworn there were five stars in that constellation.

* * *

 

“What do you think of them?” Evan asked. 

Valentine replied with the sound of cheese being grated over pasta. Usually, they’d go for something louder but since they were on the roof of the statehouse for lunch, they could get away with it. 

“The Champion and his security team.” Evan turned to them. His head was resting on his arms, which were crossed over his knees. The light breeze was blowing his shaggy hair off his face, showing the concerned creases on his skin. “Do you think they can do it? Help?” 

Valentine mulled this over for a moment. They shrugged. They added a ding of a bell, the clang of two swords, and the zip of a knot being fastened. 

Evan stared at them. “I’m not sure what you mean. Can you say that again?” Valentine obliged. “Okay the second one. Is it like that thing where people aren’t friends so they hit one another when they have a disagreement?” 

Valentine put down their food on the flattest part of the roof. They shook their head. They repeated the sound but added in banter, something they heard earlier during drills. “Okay,” Evan said, “their weapons are meeting each other but not in the angry sort of way. Are they training with one another?” Valentine nodded. They repeated their original set of sounds once more. 

“They’re not...what do you call that thing where they can do their job well and that they aren’t new to this kind of problem. There’s a word for that.” Valentine pointed at Evan for confirmation. “Okay they’re that. So...we should work with them?” Valentine nodded. “Yeah...Yeah I think they’re good people too.” 

Valentine made a honking noise, followed by a crowd booing. 

“The robot was just curious, Val.” Evan smiled. It’d been a while since he smiled. Not since Zubi left for the ruins. Not since they lost basically half their team. Valentine huffed. “I know it’s not an excuse to touch you without your permission but he meant well. Maybe that half-elf just created him.” 

Valentine replied with the sound of wood being carved and a thick layer of dust being blown off a surface. 

Evan hummed. “He does look a little worse for wear. But what’s so bad about a bit of wonder, you know?” 

They were quiet again. Valentine finished their lunch and nudged Evan’s with his beak. “I know.” He picked up the food and balanced it on his lap. “You’re starting to sound just like Mama.” 

“Evan Abel Graves,” said Mrs. Graves’ voice from Valentine’s beak. Evan laughed. 

“Thanks,” he said. “I needed that.” 

With a moment of hesitation, Valentine took Evan’s free hand into theirs. Evan took a bit from his sandwich and ran his thumb along Valentine’s knuckles. They both looked at the ruins. “It’ll work out,” Evan said, though Valentine figured it was mostly to himself. “It has to.”

* * *

 

Valentine was making dinner with the fire started at the dock. They extinguished the fire they were using to cook, put on their gear, and ran to the scene. The fire department was already on their way with buckets, empty ones and ones full of sand. Valentine teleported ahead as soon as they were in range. This close, they could already tell rushing in wasn’t an option. They’d get hurt if they even tried to take three steps closer. 

But if Evan was in there, Valentine wasn’t going to let that stop them. 

Panic surged through their body like electricity. It was striking them from the inside out but Valentine focused on the task. They found a forked twig as the fire department began attacking the flames. Valentine hold their breath as they cast locate object. Specifically, Evan’s boots. He’d been wearing the same boots even though they were already fraying. “They’re my...you know that aspect of a thing that gives you fortune if you keep it close. Like it gives you more ‘good’ chances. My boots are that,” he had said. 

It took them a few tries—panic wasn’t conducive to patience—but they found him. He was at the ruins. 

“Valentine! There you are!” Bob the Skrull tugged on their elbow. “We need a bit of help at the docks. The fire is spreading and some people are looting the adjacent shacks and boats.” 

Valentine yanked their arm away. They pointed at the ruins, sounding off alarms, the bone whale’s roar, and Evan’s voice saying, “We have to help!” 

Bob turned to the ruins then back to Valentine. He put his hands on Valentine’s shoulders. “I know.” 

Valentine glared and shoved his hands off, ending with a buzzer noise. 

Bob clenched their jaw. “Valentine, now is not the time to argue. Half the guard is gone. People are panicking and breaking the law. We have to keep the peace here. Let the champion and the others deal with Zubi. Antipolis needs us to work. Let’s go now!” That was a command if Valentine heard one. 

With one last look at the ruins, Valentine swore to Ze’ol that if they didn’t see Evan by dawn, Bob was going to learn what panic could be.

* * *

 

It was a long night. Valentine was battered and bruised from apprehending some thieves who claimed they were saving what they owned. Bob had given them a couple of healing potions. That numbed most of it but they were still coughing from the smoke and their feathers were a little singed. One of the thieves knew what the Burning Hands spell was. That was yet another fire no one was prepared for. They were so tired that they didn’t see the burst of light curing the river, only hearing people’s reactions of it. 

Once the potion finally took effect on their sprained ankle, Valentine hurried to the docks. They cast another Locate Object and found Evan’s boots heading towards the Giant Mistake. As much as Valentine wanted to get there as soon as possible, putting out the fires (both literal and metaphorical) had drained them. They could barely work up the energy to jog, much less teleport. That was when they realized they hadn’t eaten dinner yet. 

Valentine should be relieved. If the boots were there, surely Evan was there too. The spell didn’t point them towards Zubi, who was making his way back to the city without raving or complaint. The ghost fish and the bone whale didn’t seem to rule the river as they once did. People were still talking about that flash of light under the water. And yet, the worry that bordered into panic continued to crackle under their feathers, jolting at their every hurried stride. 

Evan should be fine but Valentine couldn’t believe it until they saw it. 

“Val? Valentine?” 

Ten feet ahead of them, in muted streetlights, by another tavern that was rejoicing alongside a bard’s song about the lights in the river, was that dumb, crooked looking smile of his. 

With a burst of energy, Valentine ran to him. Evan opened his arms and they jumped into a hug. “Hey, hey, what’s wrong? You’re shaking. I’m okay. See? I’m right here.”  That burst of energy had come a burst of tears that Valentine didn’t think they had pent up. Valentine couldn’t remember the last time they cried. “They did it, Val,” he whispered. “They did the thing.” Evan tightened the hug then placed them down to the ground. He held Valentine’s face and wiped the tears. “I didn’t think you cared that much.” 

Valentine glared and poked him with their beak. Then shoved him. Then sounded many variations of alarms while gesturing to the ruins. Evan took it all in with an amused smirk. Valentine poked him with their beak one more time then Evan stroked it, fingers barely touching the surface. 

“I was only joking,” Evan murmured. 

An disembodied audience booed. 

Evan kissed the base of Valentine’s beak and Valentine’s posture loosened. They sniffled. They wished they could kiss Evan in a way that Evan understood or knew. They cupped Evan’s face and looked him straight in the eyes. They could feel Evan’s breathlessness on the tip of their beak. They made the sound of a kiss, loud and exaggerated. Evan’s eyes crinkled and, even in the soft light, Valentine could see a tinge of pink along his cheeks. His hands rested on Valentine’s wrists. 

“Yeah, me too.” 

Just then, a noise came from Valentine. Not their beak, but their stomach, reminding them that they were running on literal fumes. Evan brushed his nose against their beak and took one of their hands into his own. Valentine bashfully made a sad trombone sound. 

“You didn’t ruin the moment,” Evan said. “Let’s go grab some of that thing where you put it in your body and it makes energy for you after your body does weird things to it. Do you want to go to the Giant Mistake or a different place?” 

Valentine made the sound of a pillow being fluffed, the rhythmic tap of a lid covering a boiling broth, and the sound of crickets. 

Evan raised Valentine’s hand to his lips. “I’d like that.” 

**Author's Note:**

> But for real though does this make Evan a furry? Sound off in the comments.


End file.
